


I'll take my chance, 'cause luck is on my side

by trashperson



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Age Difference, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Romance, Sexy Times, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:08:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22624579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashperson/pseuds/trashperson
Summary: Shane's a washed up drunk, but it seems like the new farm girl might have a few demons of her own.
Relationships: Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, I know there are so, so many perfect, incredible, beautiful, magnificently written slowburn Shane fanfics on this site, and the absolute last thing that I want to do is step on someone's toes or even come close to seeming like I'm copying someone. So I'm really trying to make this one different while still being respectful to the source material!!

Someone had spiked the punch. Ah, bless them. There was nothing like liquid courage during a stressful situation. I took another sip of punch, feeling the slight burn of alcohol and let the relief wash over me. I’ve never been one for social gatherings, and I’m even less keen on meeting new people. And yet, somehow, I’d managed to find myself at the Flower Dance of all things. It was apparently some sort of town wide tradition to pair up all the unmarried town folks and watch them prance around an open field to musical accompaniment. And as the newest single person in town, I had suddenly found myself in the thick of a fierce matchmaking competition. I wanted no part of it. I’d relocated to Pelican Town to get away from people, not mix with them. But early this morning, while I was out foraging for wild leeks, I had accidentally stumbled my way into the thick of things.

But it was alright. There was music and spiked punch, and really, what more could a girl ask for? I do love to dance, but I had absolutely no interest in whatsoever participating in any kind of organized soiree.

From across the field Mayor Lewis caught my eye and came bounding over to meet me at the refreshments table.

“There she is! Our new farmer! Quite a festival isn’t it?” He said, eyeing the desert tray.

“Yeah, it’s really something. It’s amazing how close knit this town is.” And it was amazing. From the moment I stepped into Pelican town I had felt a palpable sense of relief, like a large weight had been lifted from my shoulders. The valley felt so alive, so vibrant. I marveled at its beauty each sunrise and sunset. But what I found most startling was how connected everyone seemed. A jar of jam couldn’t drop at the general store without the whole town discussing it at the saloon that night, not because they were busybodies, but because they cared.

“Well? Aren’t you going to ask someone to dance?” Lewis asked, taking a bite out of a fruit tart.

“Oh no. No, I feel like I don’t really know anyone enough to dance with them. Plus, I’m not really a dancing person!” I joked, hoping he’d leave me alone so that I could grab another lifesaving glass of punch.

“Ha! Then we’re a pair! Two left feet, runs in the family! Hey, what do you say you and I pair up and take a swing around the ole may pole? I’m no spring chicken, but I think the young people might get a kick out of seeing their old mayor try to cut a rug! What do you say?”

Oh Yoba, no. No, no, no.

“Wow…that…is…very, very sweet, but you know what? I have been making friends around town! Maybe I will ask someone!”

“That’s the spirit, kiddo! But if it doesn’t work out, you’ll know where to find me!” Nodding like a bobble head doll, I gave him a dorky thumbs up, and then power walked my way over to towards the entrance, only to find it cordoned off.

I had several options. 1, I could jump off cliffs onto the littered beach below, but I didn’t think the cliffs were really high enough to do any damage. If anything, I’d just get stuck among the garbage for a few hours until someone noticed I was gone. 2. Suck up my pride and dance with Lewis. Truly he was very kind, and he had been very good to me, but the whole thing was just way too weird. Option 3: Ask someone to dance. Unthinkable. Absolutely not. Completely out of the question. Not even within the realm of possibility.

And that left me with option 4: Get punch drunk and hide from everyone until the event ends. 

Clearly there was only one real course of action. I made my way back over to the punch table- thankfully lewis-free, this time. There was someone I didn’t recognize standing in front of the punch bowl. I waited for him to serve himself and be done, but after thirty seconds of waiting it became apparent that he had no intention of leaving his post. With as much tact as I could muster, I made my way passed him and poured myself another glass, accidentally elbowing him in the stomach. He took a full step back and looked at me with an expression of shock.

“Sorry, I guess I’ve had one too many.” I said sheepishly, horrified by my own rudeness.

“S’ fine.” He grunted, “suppose I haven’t been too nice to you either.”

Suddenly it clicked. He was the scruffy, rude Jojomart employee who snapped at me every time I tried to talk to him.

“Oh yeah- you’re Shane, right? You told me to mind my own business when I asked you where the shampoo isle was.”

He laughed uncomfortably. “Yeah, I’m not so good with new people. I don’t really come off the right way.”

“I mean, literally just hit you in the stomach trying to get punch, so I think we’re even.”

“Yeah,” There was of awkward silence. All of the other young men were wearing suits for the dance, but this one wore a regular worn-out hoodie and shorts. Perhaps he wasn’t intending to participate. He cleared his throat, “Uh…did you try the sauce?”

“What?”

“It’s good- never mind. Fuck…” he muttered under his breath. Somehow, he wasn’t as mean looking against the backdrop of the forest. Maybe Jojomart just brings out the worst in people. He cleared his throat and stated again, “So, you having fun at this thing?”

“I guess. Lewis asked me to dance, so I’m trying to hide from him.”.

He chuckled softly, “Well, I don’t think the punch table is going to provide adequate cover.”

“You’re right. We should probably make a break for the cliffs.”

“Ha, yeah. Right. What’d you say your name was, again? Rosie?”

“It’s Rio, actually. Like the river.”

“Oh yeah, yeah, and there’s that song, ‘Her name is Rio and….’ I don’t know the rest of the words.”

“That’s quite alright. I’ve heard it more than enough times.”

“Yeah, I bet you have.”

Maybe it was just the punch, but suddenly I was giddy with excitement. “So, are you going to dance?” I had already told Lewis I wouldn’t, but I wasn’t above a little white lie here and there. Plus, I really did love to dance, and even though organized gatherings weren’t my thing, the alcohol had finally calmed my nerves.

“Absolutely not. I’m just here for my goddaughter, Jas. She’s a kid – you know, she likes this kind thing.”

“Aww, you should dance with her. That’s adorable.”

“Actually, I think she already found a dance partner,” he said, nodding towards two children hopping around in dizzying circles. I’d seen them around town before, the boy rambunctious and playful, the girl, quiet and oddly solemn.

Shane grabbed two beers off the table and strode over to the edge of the forest. Apparently, I was supposed to follow him. He plopped down at the foot of an old pine tree, and I followed suit, twisting my braids onto my chest so they wouldn’t get full of needles.

“So, how’s old Hernberg’s farm treating you? I kinda miss that old guy. Not the way you do, probably, but he was always cool.”

“Who?” I said blankly. Hernberg…that was familiar, but the heat and alcohol was making my brain fuzzy.

Shane looked at me like I had ten heads, “You know, your grandfather? Hershel Hernberg?”

“Oh! Sorry, I’m such jerk. I guess I still think of him as just ‘Grandpa’. It’s weird to hear everyone call him farmer Hernberg all the time.”

I leaned back into the grass, my face red with embarrassment. Shane didn’t say anything, just stared ahead at the children. 

The young people were starting to gather in the clearing, men on one side, girls on the other. Mayer Lewis stepped between them, brandishing a fresh flower crown.

“Is everyone ready? Looks like we’re missing some people, let’s see, 2..4..6..8..10…there should be twelve, let’s see, ah!” he cried, pointing towards Shane and I. “There’s our last two! Come on!”

“Oh no, we aren’t dancing today!” I called back.

“Nonsense! It’s the Flower Dance!” he exclaimed, as if that decided it. And oddly enough, it did. Shane got up obediently, like a child being summoned to its mother’s side.

“Wait,” I painted, running after him, “I though you didn’t want to dance!”

He chuckled, “Yeah, well…these festivals you know, there’s just something about em’. It’s like, you gotta participate, I don’t know!”

I jogged into the clearing where Lewis dragged me into the center. “We put the shortest girls in the middle, that way everyone can see where they’re going,” he explained.

I felt little embarrassed as I watched Mayor Lewis crown a pretty blonde girl named Haley as Flower Queen. She looked stunning. All the girls looked stunning, in matching linen dresses with clean, shiny, brushed hair. I stuck out like a sore thumb with my stained shirt and muddy jeans. I tried to wipe my boots on the grass, but it only made them dirtier.

“Alright!” Lewis called, “begin!” Tickling music swelled in the distance, and then and only then, did I realize I didn’t know the choreography. The other girls started bobbing towards their partners in rhythm, and I followed suit, just a beat or two off. Fortunately, Lewis had partnered me with Shane, so at least he knew in advance that I would be unprepared and terrible. Truthfully though, he wasn’t much better, and I had to laugh as he trampled over both his feet and mine. I was having fun. The dance was very chaste and tasteful, with as little physical contact between partners as possible. Still, I couldn’t resist grabbing Shane’s hands and twirling him around a bit at the end. He was surprised, and perhaps a little bit scared, but he didn’t seem angry at least.

When the music stopped, the little girl- Jas, I remembered- ran up to Shane and leaped into his arms. “You danced so well!” she beamed. “I can’t wait till I’m grown up, so I can be the Flower Queen!”

“You’ll be a good one,” he assured her. Then he turned to me. “Jas, this is Rio. She lives at the farm north of our ranch.”

“I know her,” Jas said solemnly. I had met the girl once. I introduced myself to her in one of my rare attempts to be neighborly, but she had obstinately told me that she didn’t talk to strangers and stormed off. Like godfather, like goddaughter, I suppose. Jas rested her head against Shane’s shoulder. “I’m tired,” she whined.

“You’ve had a long day,” he agreed, ruffling her hair with his free hand. “Should we head home and go to bed?”

She didn’t respond, but only buried her head into his hoodie and sighed. “Well, I guess I better get the little one home before she passes out. See you.” He walked off, still carrying the little girl in his arms. I waved after them, and then made my way towards my own farm. Before I branched off from them, he called after me.

“Hey, um, Rio? Thanks for making this thing bearable. Uh, I’m at the saloon most nights. Maybe I’ll see you around?” He had a slight flush in his cheeks as he spoke, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Nights at the saloon? I could manage to find myself at the saloon at night. As much as I wanted to keep a low profile, it wouldn’t kill me to make a friend or two. After all, what’s life if it’s lived alone?

………………….

Shane took one last swing of whisky before plugging in his phone and turning the light off. Today wasn’t as bad as he thought it was going to be. Rio. Fun girl. A little weird maybe, but fun. There was just one little thing though, he thought as he drifted off. What kind of person forgets their own Grandfather’s name?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I know the female cashier at Jojomart doesn't have a name, but I've always thought of her as Tammy. She looks like a Tammy. Don't fight me on this. I'm right. *

His old man always said he’d never amount to anything, but this was just pathetic. 34 years old and still stocking shelves at fucking Jojomart. Shane bristled as he shoved a case of cola onto the lowest shelf. Morris, his manager, was forever telling him to be gentler with the product, “Wouldn’t want another customer complaint, now would we, hehehe”. Picturing his stupid, bloated face, Shane gave the box a little kick. Hope you choke on it suckers, he thought. With a sigh, he hauled the empty cola boxes back onto his stock cart.  
Shane pushed the cart to the front of the store, catching a passing glance from the cashier, Tammy. Any normal guy would smile at her, or try to flirt a little, or at least acknowledge her presence as a human being, but Shane was not that kind of guy. There were more shelves to stock, and if he worked fast, he could fall into a rhythm and the hours would just melt away until it was time to punch out and hit the saloon.  
Another useless fucking day, just like the last. Nothing ever changed in pelican town, except his ever-dwindling paycheck. Morris seemed to take a perverse pleasure in forcing him to beg for extra shifts, like a kid nagging his Mommy for an allowance. At least Rio made things interesting from time to time.  
The new farm girl had taken to showing up to the saloon on a regular basis, and always managed to find her way into his vicinity. At first it was awkward – Shane wasn’t exactly a social fucking butterfly- but lately he found that he didn’t really mind the company. Plus, she always seemed to have something interesting to tell him. Sometimes it was just town gossip, (“I think Caroline might be growing weed in her greenhouse, she gave me a really weird cup of tea!”) or stories from her farm (“One of my cows got pregnant, but I don’t have any males? It’s like something out of Jurassic Park!”). One night she had come storming in, swearing that the community center was haunted by forest spirits.  
“I saw them, Shane,” she insisted as he shook his head dismissively, “They were like little squishy apples, and they were running all around! I think one even tried to talk to me!”  
“I think you’ve had too much of Caroline’s tea,” he had said.  
“It’s not like that! But there were dozens of them, all colors.” She turned to him, her big brown eyes shining with excitement.  
“You’ve lived her your whole life. Did you ever see anything, you know, weird?”  
Well, there was that time a hot piece like you dragged the town drunk all around the field at the flower dance. That weird enough for you? “Not unless you count finding Mayor Lewis’s shorts in my aunt’s bedroom the other day. Naw, I don’t believe in any of that stuff. Some people say they hear weird noises coming from the mines, but it’s probably just Jojocorp blasting shit around.”  
“Blasting! Why would a grocery store be blasting things? Maybe you’re the one who’s been having Caroline’s magic tea,” she had teased.  
Rio was easy to be around. With some people it was a fucking chore just to sit there and listen to them blab and make the right response noises, but not with Rio. He could talk to Rio, really talk to her, like a functional adult. And fuck if that didn’t scare him a little. He was sure he was going to screw it up somehow. He always screwed it up, and it was just a matter of time before he’d scare Rio off and go back to sitting alone, scowling at the world.  
A crackling voice from the loudspeaker shook him from his thoughts.  
“Due to the inclement weather, Management will be leaving at noon today. Thank you for shopping Jojomart, join us, thrive!”  
So, Morris was leaving early. Good. Maybe Shane could dip out a few minutes early and head down to the saloon.  
The foyer bell chimed once, signaling Morris’s departure, and then again, a few moments later. Tammy must have packed up early as well. Must be nice to be on the boss-man’s good side. If Sam or Shane ever pulled something like that, they’d be kicked to the curb in no time.  
The bell chimed again. A customer? No one ever came in after four, rain or not. But no, standing under the harsh, florescent lights was a soaking wet Rio.  
Shane’s face grew hot. He had never seen Rio while he was at work, and suddenly he wished he was anywhere else besides stocking shelves at a shitty grocery store. She looked around a moment before her eyes finally came to rest on him.  
Under her gaze, Shane felt like he had suddenly forgotten the basics of human speech. What was it people said to each other to start a conversation? Even the standard Jojomart greeting escaped him. What he should say, was something charming and witty. Rio always had some clever response ready for whatever he said, so all he had to do was master one sentence and then they’d be off to the races. Maybe he’d even ask her to get a drink with him later.  
A handful of awful clichés came to mind. ‘What’s new pussycat?’ Yoba, no. When did he get so corny? ‘What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?’ Possibly, but before he could decide, Rio strolled down his aisle, and what he said instead was:  
“I hope you don’t want to buy anything, cause Sam and I don’t have keys to the register,” which came out much, much harsher than had intended.  
Where the ever-loving fuck had that come from? Yoba, he should do everyone a favor and just never speak to another woman again. He thought he spied a flicker of confusion or hurt (perhaps he had sounded like even more of a dick than he thought) flash across Rio’s face, but in a second it was replaced with her usual sly little grin.  
“I guess I’ll just borrow this then.” Rio smirked at him and grabbed an orange-choco-peach cola off the shelf. She cracked it open and wandered towards the front of the store, where she climbed onto the cash-wrap and sat down. 

Yoba, this was so much harder without a drink in his hands. If she would just go away for a while, they could meet up later and the saloon and everything would be normal. He’d get a nice buzz going, mellow out, and then they could talk.  
Shane made a pretense of adjusting random cans along the aisle until he made his way closer to her perch.  
“Don’t you have work to do?” he grumbled.  
“Nope. Haven’t you seen the weather? It’s pouring out there! So, I figured I’d bother you two instead.” She sat on the counter, letting her feet dangle over the conveyor belt,  
“So it’s really just you and Sam here?”  
“Yep. Morris lets me close on my own on slow days.”  
“Ooh, so you’re the boss today? Here that, Sam? Shane’s going to keep you in line!” But Sam said nothing. Another moment passed, and Rio helped herself to some candy that was hanging beside the counter. Morris was going to have a stroke when they did inventory at the end of the month.  
“What’s got you so perky today?” he asked.  
“Why, didn’t you hear the news his morning? The spirits are very pleased today!”  
Shane laughed in spite of himself. Marnie always had that stupid fortune telling channel on first thing in the morning. It was fucking ridiculous, so it was nice to hear someone else who could riff on it a little too.  
Rio laid down along the length of the counter, absently playing with her braids while Shane worked silently below her. Now was the time to think of something cool or smart to say to her, but he suddenly felt frozen. All he could to was move through the shelves in a kind of mechanical frenzy. If nothing else, at least she would think he was a hard worker.  
“I’m bored,” she announced.  
“Well, you’re in a good place for it,” said Sam from the customer service desk. “Jojomart can provide premium, high-quality boredom all at low, low prices! Join us, thrive!” he said in a dead-on Morris impression. Rio burst into laughter. 

Sam. Of course she was here for Sam. He was young, handsome, funny- everything Shane was not. His face burned as her listened to Rio and Sam joke over the loudspeaker. Fuck fuck FUCK, he was so goddamn stupid to think she’d be interested in a guy like him. He threw a carton of Jojo Melon-Pickle Cola onto the shelf, without even bothering to properly price it.  
It exploded- either by result of Shane’s own roughness or as a revolt against its own retched existence.  
The noised attracted the attention of Sam and Rio. A mess had been made, and Sam, by reason of fairness, determined that Shane should be the one to clean it. Rio, by reason of her being taller than the both of them whilst standing on the cash register, decided Sam should be the one to clean it.  
“There’s only one way to decide this,” said Rio solemnly, holding a checked sales brochure in front of them, “kart racing. A test as old as time. From here, around the store, and then back to the cola puddle. Loser cleans up.”

Shane sighed, “If we run around the store all crazy with the carts, we’re just going to make more of a mess. I’ll just clean it, it’s fine.”  
Rio waved his concern away like a bad smell. “No worries, I got this. We’ll just reverse the contest. First person to get back to the mess wins. We’ll have to go as slowly as possible without stopping completely.”

“Yeah, I’m up for that. I’ll get carts.” Sam strolled away from them to untangle two carts from their corral at the front of the store. The first was a typical, unremarkable Jojo-Karttm, but the second looked as though it had seen battle and lost. 

“I think I’ll take guy as my noble steed,” he said, stroking the second cart’s mangled handlebar.  
“Gorgeous,” Rio agreed.  
“Where’s your cart?” Sam asked.  
“I’ll just ride along with one of you guys. I’m sore! I’m so sore. I smashed so many rocks yesterday, you guys don’t even know! I’m not pushing a cart around. My arms will fall off. I’ll die.”  
Not too sore to nimbly maneuver herself into Shane’s cart, apparently. He got the feeling that Rio was the kind of person who was only “injured” when it was convenient to be so.  
She looked ridiculous in the cart, like big overgrown kid, though she fit surprisingly well. But that was just like her. A bit immature – or maybe not. Maybe this was totally age appropriate behavior. He couldn’t quite place her age, (he’d always sucked at that kind of thing) but she looked young, and he had done all sorts of stupid shit in his twenties.  
“That’s cheating!” Sam protested, “he’ll go way slower with you in there!  
“Hardly. I’m just evening the playing field, since you have your magnificent beast and all.”  
Sam pushed his cart forward, so it was even with Shane’s. Rio brandished her brochure over the edge of the cart and cried, “alright, One…Two…Three…GO!”  
They barely moved. It was such a sharp contrast to the furious energy that usually comes at the start of a race, and they all had to laugh. Sam looked like an old man hunched over his cart, his jaw clenched with fierce determination.  
It took nearly five whole minutes to clear the end of the aisle. When they finally did, Sam took a sharp left towards the freezer area– perhaps he was aiming to traverse the perimeter of the store? - whilst Shane opted to brave the dry goods section.  
Rio was splayed out in Shane’s cart, her legs hanging over the front and her head resting against the handlebar, just inches from his fingers.  
“How is that possibly comfortable?”, he had to ask.  
“Oh, it’s not. But I feel a bit like a queen this way. It’s something I could get used to.”  
They fell silent, but somehow the uncomfortable tension from earlier had dissipated. Rio seemed content to ride along with Shane with no need to make conversation at all. She even closed her eyes after a while. She almost looked like she was sleeping. Maybe she hadn’t been exaggerating when she said she was tired.  
When they were far enough away from Sam, Shane ventured a question.  
“Hey Rio? Why did you come to Stardew Valley?”  
At first, she was so quiet, he though she really had fallen asleep. But then she whispered,  
“I needed a change. I just…. needed to get away.”  
“Yeah, but you could have gone anywhere. You could have gone to Zuzu City or Mineral Town or Selphia. Anywhere but here. There’s nothing here.”  
Without looking at him, Rio murmured, “I think I’m exactly where I need to be”. 

……………………………………  
“It’s five o’clock! I got nothing done!” Sam wailed, “and, also, how did I end up winning, and cleaning up the mess?”  
“Because you got to the mess last! Those were the rules!” Rio laughed. Shane actually didn’t think that those were the rules that they had established, but he wasn’t about to disagree.  
“And plus,” Rio continued, “I found that today was incredibly productive. You figured out the least efficient routes around the store and destroyed some disgusting soda. I see that as an absolute win.”  
“At least someone feels accomplished,” Sam grumbled as he pulled the outer doors shut. The rain beat down on them as Shane fumbled with the lock. His hands were shaking with – something…nervousness? Anticipation? Excitement?- but he finally secured the door and declared the workday finished. 

Rio cheered. She leapt up and draped her arms around the backs of their necks and let herself swing from their shoulders. Maybe it was because her weight was distributed across both their bodies, but Shane was struck by how slight she was. She was so thin; it was amazing that she could accomplish all that back breaking work on the farm. “We worked hard today,” Rio declared.  
Sam snorted, but she ignored him, “and I think we deserve a treat. Anyone up for a drink? My treat!”  
They made it all the way to the saloon before Sam untangled himself from Rio’s grip. “Maybe another time. You guys have fun – I’ll catch up with you later.”  
He waved goodbye, leaving Shane and Rio once again, on their own.


End file.
